Arsenal Fight Liverpool For Chance To Be Comeback Kings
ByThey say it ain’t over until the fat lady sings.
In Arsenal and Liverpool’s case, they’re still undressing the fat lady and figuring out how to chuck her into the bath – let alone getting her out of the dressing room onto the stage. It’s a while yet before she has to sing.
For the two clubs that have been written off as title contenders and preferred more as title pretenders – tonight is a key match. It’s not so much the must win game that the media cheering squad make it out to be. I feel that both teams want a positive result from this game for psychological reasons.
Liverpool have had a season to forget and it’s paramount for them to consolidate their position and mark their territory for the 4th champions league spot for next year. It’s only a couple of months ago when they were totally written off and I must admit, I too expressed my fears of Liverpool dropping to mid-table mediocrity.
Personally, I feel that it’s now going to be hard for Villa, Man City or Spurs to dislodge them off the 4th spot – especially since they’ve now smelt and sat on it for a while. The difference is that Liverpool are experienced campaigners and out of the 4th spot chasers, they have more big game nous than the rest.
Andrey Arshavin (L) celebrates scoring Arsenal's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on December 13, 2009
Arsenal on the other hand will be hoping that Aston Villa and Everton repeat the feats they achieved against Man United and Chelsea respectively in the first leg encounters.
However, it’s absolutely pointless for Arsenal to hope that Chelsea and Man United will drop points – if the Gunners are not able to take advantage by claiming full points. Chelsea and Man United will for sure drop points, least against each other, but Arsenal have to win all the remaining 13 games to have a chance of winning the title.
It’s important though, that before we talk about winning titles, the team gets back to winning ways a game at a time. Arsenal is a confidence team and to be frank, confidence is running pretty low at London Colney right now.
There’s two ways to look at this. The Arsenal team can call last orders and we can all go through the motions and fulfil the remaining fixtures before folding our tents and waiting for next season. I’d much prefer that the team restores their confidence and fights tooth and nail for every minute of every game. There’s a hell of a lot at stake, not least the pride of the players and supporters.
Tactically, I can see Benitez going with his 2 guard dogs of Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva marauding around his midfield and trying to stop Arsenal’s flowing game. Their defence is wearing thin especially since their Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos obliged to the legend of the Merseyside derby and collected one of the customary red cards for the privilege of missing tonight’s game.
The flaw with this defensive minded strategy for Benitez has been that Liverpool then don’t have much creativity to take advantage of the balls that the messy defensive midfielders win. They miss the sort of creativity that Xavi Alonso provided as a bridge between defence and attack – and the jury really is still out on Alberto Aquilani who hasn’t really set the Premiership on fire.
Arsenal should be able to contain Liverpool’s passing game, and hopefully, our propensity to attack gung-ho will have been reigned in a little considering the gift of 2 goals that we’ve recently given opponents from counter attacks.
Liverpool must hate the sight of Andrey Arshavin as Arsenal hate the sight of Didier Drogba. The diminutive Russian has been quite vocal off the pitch though you feel that he’d be better placed converting his guilt edged chances and avoiding the media like the plague.
From an Arsenal point of view, Wenger has his preferred midfield of Cesc, Diaby and Song. The 3 haven’t played together for a while now, but it’s time they got into their stride. Eboue looked brighter than Sagna when he came on last Sunday and he may offer a better option on the right flank defensively and offensively.
Up front, Bendtner must be given a chance to start. Like Walcott, he has been away for a while and whilst I sympathize with Walcott’s lack of game time to regain his confidence, I think that Bendtner has a lot more to offer at this point in time.
Walcott will do much better in a game devoid of pressure where he doesn’t feel the stress of having to express himself well. He needs a game that he can play with a smile and not have to worry about impressing the England team camp before this summers World Cup.
Arsenal for now need to forget any title ambitions or any champions league fixtures. They need to use this game to regain a psychological edge. They need to use this game to lift their spirits and lift the spirits of the Gooner nation.
Liverpool won’t come to the Emirates to make up the numbers. We may have beaten them twice already this season, but that counts for absolutely nothing.
The second half of the last game against Chelsea showed good signs of Arsenal’s recognition about what seems to be our Achilles heel. Despite a good attempt to chase the game, Arsenal were solid defensively in the second half and that discipline needs to be maintained.
A top performance more than anything is now due from the Arsenal team. I sincerely hope that the 2 losses against United and Chelsea have given the team enough food for thought about how to approach the next game. One game at a time will do for now.
Enjoy the game wherever you are.
Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
I am abit worried about tonight coz Liverpool is back to its form and as you mentioned two beatings back to back can deplete anyone’s confidence. I hate to think what another lose would mean to the team’s morale. Tonight is imperative we win, not so much for the three points (abit maybe) but for what winning the game would mean as far as boosting the team’s spirits is concerned.
I agree with you about the starting lineup. I’d also put in Eboue in place of Sagna coz he offers us alot going forward. Whatever happens tonight I am looking forward to a great game and our team making us proud.
FOREVER ARSENAL!!!
Firstlady.
I think we’ll give Liverpool a good game and there’s no need to be overly worried.
2 key things cost us the games against Chelsea and Manure. Firstly, we were chasing the game and committed resources in attacks – and gave away goals in counter attacks against us.
Secondly, some of the goals were a result of moments of madness where players went missing. Fortunately, this is an issue that is resolvable. We also need to convert our chances and this will take the pressure off the whole team.
Last Friday, I wrote about the need for Arsenal to maintain mental fortitude and discipline – and I spent some time outlining how our system of play can be a risk.
Because we were chasing the game – we got hit by two good counter attacking teams.
From Wenger’s statements and press conferences, I doubt that we’ll see any more of that gung-ho attacking.
Football is funny for people forget that Chelsea lost very badly against Wigan, yet we tonked Wigan 4 nil. Chelsea couldn’t muster a win against Hull and actually played very badly, yet we tonked Hull 3 nil. Man City were beaten byHull, yet Chelsea and Man City beat Arsenal.
Players don’t become bad overnight and I’m sure the Arsenal players get a sense of what’s required of them.
Good write up Darius.
I thought your customer/fan comparison showed an interesting awareness of the distinction between the two. There are really quite a lot of variations but I would say the major difference is the ability of using some sort of basic reason. So many make simple assumptions based on no real facts at all.
Quite frankly if people consider themselves customers then I just wish they would take their fickleness to somewhere that suits them better & make sure they take that embarrassing c##t Piers Morgan with them. Just leave Arsenal to those that actually understand that football is more than just winning or losing.
Tonight is the latest most important game of the season. I think most of us are a little low at the moment, with the team probably even more so.
Anything but a win will see us really looking for Manu to take points off Villa, rather than the other way round.
Like you I hope Bentner can start , because of the balance just his size can give to the side. I think AW has been desperate to play him but all the signs from the press conference are that he still not fully ready. We cannot afford to play him & then lose him to injury again. You know, not having the big CF is also very important defensively. That is possibly where we have missed Ade the most.
I feel that Eboue will play & probably should have started at Chelsea in place of Walcott because he is more solid & gets involved. However Walcott did show enough to suggest he will start tonight so Eboue at RB or in front of Clichy for me.
We know Clichy is better than he has been showing so I think he will be allowed the chance to play himself into form. He certainly grew into the Chelsea game after that disastrous start.
It is absolutely essential for the crowd to get behind the team tonight.
Must say I like the new layout. It is certainly much easier on the eye especially on the Ipod.
If we score first it will be very interesting as that will force Liverpool to play. They wont put ten men behind the ball hoping to catch us on the counter. I agree if we had scored first in the previous two games the outcome would have been different.
Here is to a win tonight. SALUTE!
It’s half time as I write this. At the moment it’s hard to remember us scoring a goal, never mind actually get one.
That will pass though. Confidence looks a little low and perhaps one or two are not showing as much as they might. Then again, they were too gUng ho against the chavs.
I’m wittering really. A couple of pints of cider and nerves will do that.
I agree with Flint that this is THE most important game so far this season, at least now it is. I am glad to see Eboue in the side tonight.
Actually it’s a few minutes later now as I couldn’t post. Things haven’t got any more comfortable.
Happy days. What a night.
Consolsbob.
I hope the cider helped.
If there’s one thing that made me confident tonight – it was the personal responsibility every player took when defending – and this was right from the front especially with Bendtner and Arshavin.
You could also see that a lot of work had gone in during the last few days because there were ne sloppy defensive mistake made and we wanted the game more.
It feels good I tell you – though I’m worried about heading towards the den as I don’t yet know how ‘er indoors is feeling. I gather Chelsea played route 1 football and lumped the ball forward – I think Michael Ballack called it being 2 dimensional or something like that.
Steww – what a great evening it is. I totally loved the fight. The way the team played as a unit made me more impressed than the actual score.
The players played for each other.
This title race is no where near over and the fat lady hasn’t even started her bath, let alone take off her bits.
which Club do you like for the 2010 Barclay’s English Premiership ?
What Club do you like for the 2010 Barclay’s English Premiership ?
Wish they all could be Adelaide Escorts